Mirai
by Pride of a Saiyan
Summary: A life underground. Always hiding, never safe. Run away right before they knock you out and have their crazed, destructive way with you. They seem to be indestructible, even a Super Saiyan is no match for the both of them. It’s hopeless. Or is it?
1. Changes

**Mirai**

Chapter 1 – Changes

A life underground. Always hiding, never safe. Run away right before they knock you out and have their crazed, destructive way with you. They seem to be indestructible, even a Super Saiyan is no match for the both of them. It's hopeless. No amount of training will make anyone strong enough to defeat them. _Then why do we still try?_

No one even knows what day it is, it doesn't matter anymore. The massive parties of the desperate are held every other night. Better die happy and drunk than unhappy and aware.

_Why do I keep going to these parties? _Trunks thinks. _To observe the survivors of the human race trying to forget what's out there waiting for them? But in some way they're right. Even mom tried everything she could think of. It all failed._

A voice casts his depressed thoughts aside.

"Hey, Trunks. You don't look too happy." A girl sits down next to him and puts a hand on his shoulder. Trunks resists the sudden urge to remove her hand. He's not used to being touched anymore. Only his mother does. Beside his mother, it's the androids who touch him. Who hurt him every single time he tries to…

"So what's up? You should be partying like the others, there's no tomorrow anyway." She grins ferally, waving her hand to the bartender to order another drink.

"Not tonight, Keyra," he growls, pissed off by her superficial happiness. "I can't pretend there's nothing going on out there."

"Your loss," she says, shrugging at him. "Just lighten up a little, you look like you're about to kill someone."

_She's right, _he realizes as he watches her walk away. _I am about to kill someone. I'm seriously considering to end my own life, for it has no meaning anymore. In fact, my life ended when Gohan died. I lost all direction and determination in my life. And now I'm stuck with my mom and Keyra._ His thoughts wander back three years to when he first met her, Videl's little sister. Videl tried to fight the androids as well and miserably failed. Keyra never was that stupid. She knew a human would never stand a chance against those monsters.

"They blast them into oblivion right before my eyes," she whispered hoarsely. "All I could do was stand there like a statue…"

Trunks had just flown in and found another city ruined. Satan City to be exact. Keyra lost her father and sister on the same day.

"We've got to get out of here before they find us, Keyra." Trunks put his arm around her waist and levitated into the air. He was only fourteen back then and knew perfectly well what would happen when they got caught. He flew back to Capsule Corp. without looking back.

From that day on, Keyra had been living with him and Bulma. Like an older sister. But Trunks could sense her pain. _No matter how hard she tries to forget, she still wants to get those androids for what they did to her family. And so do I._

His hand reaches into his wallet and pulls out a small picture of his father. _I'll never know him. I'll never spar with him. He'll never save me from those… things. I'll have to do it all by myself._

He sighs and orders another drink. A small smile forms as he watches Keyra showing off her moves on stage. _I might as well join her. She has no idea what thoughts she puts into the heads of those poor guys surrounding her._ He grins and walks up to the stage.

"Can't help yourself, can you?" he shouts.

"Never! Come on Trunks, get up here and show these people what we're made of!"

The night becomes an alcohol-soaked blur. They get into a fight but can't remember what it was about. Early in the morning, they walk back home, giggling without knowing why.

"We sure showed them," Keyra hiccups. "Pathetic idiots."

"I never realized how aerodynamic humans are," Trunks adds, causing Keyra to burst into laughter.

"Next time we should try to aim though," she comments. "Breaking a mirror is seven years of bad luck."

"We are blessed if we even survive for another month. Who cares about bad luck when life is a living hell?" Trunks growls.

"You're way down lately, Trunks. Why?" Keyra looks at him seriously.

Trunks walks over to a bench in the park they're passing through. He flops down, resting his head in his hands.

"I just don't see the point anymore," he says, fighting back his tears. "We've been fighting them for almost two decades and still they live!"

"So do we."

He looks up to her, sliding a hand through his hair.

"Stop putting yourself down, Trunks. From the looks of it you're the only hope for mankind. You have plenty reasons to hang on."

Trunks is stunned when he realizes she's on to him.

"How the hell did you know?"

She sits down next to him and pulls up her knees, resting her head on them, looking at him intently.

"You changed after Gohan's death."

"Oh really," he spits sarcastically.

"I know he was important to you, but you have to let go. Gohan's gone, life sucks. Just roll with the punches."

"Easy for you to say! Every time I fight the androids they remind me of him! They play with me just like they played with him before they finished him off." Trunks' face cringes with pure hatred.

"You don't know what it's like to be the hope of the humans. I'm failing them all!"

"You've saved thousands of them already by fighting the androids single-handedly. Don't forget that."

"Feh!" Trunks gets up and stomps off. He turns around and faces Keyra once more. "I'm not fighting them, I'm running away! My father stood his ground and died on the battlefield like a true Saiyan! And what am I? A halfbreed. A worthless halfbreed, running away 'cause I'm afraid to die!"

"Shut up, Trunks," Keyra says in a low voice, getting up and approaching him. "You're tired, drunk and what you say isn't even half-true. We're going home."

"Make me." Trunks crosses his arms and turns his back to her.

"Stop acting like a child, Trunks. We'll think of something eventually."

"Convince me." He glares at her with cold blue eyes.

"My patience is running thin, little 'brother'."

They stare at each other for long, silent minutes.

"Aargh, I give up! I don't know what's eating you, Trunks, but you'd better get it out of your system soon. You're impossible!"

"I know." Trunks studies the ground and finally starts walking. "I'm sorry."

"I just want to help…" Keyra puts her hand on his shoulder and startles back as Trunks slaps it away.

"What the…" She looks him in the eye, shocked by his reaction.

"Don't touch me," he hisses. "I don't need your pity." Blood slowly seeps out of his clenched fists.

"What's happening to you, Trunks?" she whispers. Then she looks up and sees the full moon shining down on them.

"Kuso!" she shouts and reaches for her needle-gun.

"Too late, Keyra." Trunks is already behind her, twisting her arms behind her back. She feels his hot breath on her neck. His tail curls around her thigh and she closes her eyes, thinking back to what Bulma told her about Saiyan instincts.

_"Saiyans have the ability to change into giant monkeys called Oozarus under the full moon, but only when they have their tail and are pure Saiyans. Demi-Saiyans like Gohan and Trunks cannot achieve the Oozaru form, but they tend to lose control when exposed to the light of the full moon. It can cause serious harm to their environment since they are so strong. I've only experienced it once when Trunks was little, but it cost us weeks to repair the damage he inflicted on the buildings of Capsule Corp."_

"That's right," Trunks whispers, bringing her back to the present. "But back then I was only a child. My aggression was wild and unfocused."

Keyra shivers in his iron grip. "You can read my mind in this state?"

"Totally. You're afraid of dying, just like me."

"What are you going to do to me?" she cries softly.

He chuckles coldly. "I'm not going to kill you, Keyra." He pulls her closer to his chest and lets go of her arms. He brings down his head to kiss her neck, leaving a trail of saliva on her bare skin.

"So that's what losing control means when you're older, huh?" she sighs, turning around to face him.

He crushes his lips to hers, kissing her with pure lust. His hands trail down her back, disappearing under her shirt, while her hands are busy pulling down his pants.

"I want you, Keyra," he growls. "I _need_ you." He unzips her skirt and rips away her underwear. She gasps as she feels his fingers enter her, his thumb massaging her clit.

"Trunks… Oh Kami…"

He enters her right before she climaxes. They collapse onto the wet lawn, clinging to each other tightly. Keyra's nails dig into Trunks' back, making him thrust more frantically.

Soon Trunks comes too and lowers himself onto one elbow. Breathing fast, fighting for air, he kisses Keyra and pulls her close.

They stay still for a few moments, catching their breath.

"We should get out of here," Keyra says softly.

Trunks nods, getting up slowly and putting his pants back on. He waits for Keyra to get dressed, then lifts her up and flies back to Capsule Corp.


	2. Surprise

**Chapter 2 – Surprise**

Keyra stands on the balcony, smoking a cigarette. She's trying to gather her thoughts on the recent events, but to no avail. It's simple: Trunks confuses her. He seems to be avoiding her, like he's ashamed about what happened. He has been gone for a couple of days now, and Bulma is worried sick about him. Keyra knows that he's okay; Trunks taught her the basics of ki usage and sensing it from afar.

"Keyra?" Bulma emerges from her room, stepping onto the balcony as well.

"Are you okay?"

"You keep asking me that. I am." Keyra looks at Bulma, a little annoyed by her presence.

"You know why Trunks left, don't you?" Bulma crosses her arms, a habit she developed after Vegeta died.

"I don't. Not exactly anyway. I think he's going through some changes, just like after Gohan died. He needs time."

"Is he chasing the androids?"

"Hard to say. He shouldn't, so he probably is." Keyra blows out a cloud of smoke and says: "Relax, I'll go find him. If I'm not back by sunset, just wait a little longer."

Bulma produces a weak smile as Keyra jumps off the balcony and blazes off towards the horizon.

_Kami damn it, how could I have been so weak?_ Trunks speeds up even more as he thinks back to what happened a few nights ago. _Father would have laughed at me for being so pathetic! I totally lost control! I just gave in to whatever I felt at the time…_

He can't sense the androids, so he has to trust his other senses to locate them. _Just follow the trail of destruction,_ he thinks bitterly. _Don't they ever get bored?_

Soon he discovers the smoking ruins of another city. He touches down and continues his search on foot.

"Well well, look what the cat dragged in," he hears a familiar voice say. A cold shiver runs down his spine as he whirls around and faces 18.

"You never give up, do you? You should realize by now, that even with that pathetic sword of yours, you're no match for me." 18 approaches slowly, like a predator eyeing its prey.

"I'm not here to fight you," Trunks spits. "I'm not stupid. All I need to know, is what you want from us. Why do you keep destroying things? After so many years, it must be getting boring."

18 glares at him. "We've been _programmed,_ kid. We don't _want_ anything. We're going to destroy the human race and anything else that gets in our way… like YOU!"

Trunks takes a few steps back, while 18 closes in on him, really pissed off.

"And what are you going to do when you're done with all that?"

"Fortunately, we're not programmed to think that far ahead," she smiles coldly. "We'll find something new. Chikyuu is not the only planet worth our attention. Now, if you're not here to fight, what do you suggest we do? Are you going to run again, like the coward you are?"

"I'm no coward," Trunks hisses, still backing away. "I just don't see the point in dying in a fight I cannot win anyway."

"Your Super Saiyan friend died trying. So did your father," she chuckles.

Trunks' vision becomes a red haze.

"DON'T… YOU… DARE… SPEAK… OF… THEM! You mechanical BITCH!"

Trunks' aura flares up with golden sparks. He transforms to Super Saiyan with more ease than usually, his power fed by his immense anger.

18's smile fades quickly as Trunks blasts her into the side of a building. She emerges from the rubble, dusting off her clothes.

"Well, this time you even managed to wrinkle my clothes. Maybe it's about time I finish you off, Trunks." She grins and disappears.

"You're welcome to try," he growls softly, closing his eyes and sharpening his other senses. A split second before she attacks, he draws his sword and catches her foot on the blade.

"That won't do you any good," she mocks, slowly pushing the blade aside.

"Watch me," Trunks says, feeding his ki into the blade, heating it until it glows red.

"What the…" 18 pulls away her foot as the blade melts into her flesh.

"Let's have a barbecue," Trunks growls, attacking her again.

"Let's not!" 17 attacks him from behind, sending him flying into another building.

"Aw, come on, 17, I was just starting to have fun," 18 nags. "Do you have to ruin _everything_?"

"I thought you were going to finish _him_ off, not the other way around," 17 retorts.

"And you want 'in' on the fun, of course? Oh, why not." They team up on Trunks, who soon realizes that he is no match for the both of them…

Keyra arrives at the scene when Trunks hits the top of a building, unconscious. She flies up to him, kneeling beside him and checking his pulse. It's weak, but still there. Tears stream down her face as the androids float up to them.

"Oh, how cute. His girlfriend has come to his rescue." The androids burst out in laughter, looking down on the helpless couple.

"Say goodbye now, kids," 18 chuckles. "Your time has come."

The androids charge a blast and Keyra's vision turns white as she loses consciousness. The last thing she sees, is the silhouette of a man with flame-like hair, extending his hands towards the androids.

Trunks awakes with a gasp, sweating like a pig. He tastes senzu, which explains why he has healed.

"Finally awake, huh?" Bulma strokes his face gently, smiling at him. "You scared the hell out of me, son."

"I'm sorry," Trunks whispers. "I lost control." He looks around him and recognizes the medical wing of Capsule Corp.

"Where's Keyra?"

"She won't be around for a while. I finished the time machine, Trunks. I sent Keyra back to give Goku the antidote, so that he'll live and have a shot at the androids. It might not change anything here, but at least the other dimension will stand a chance."

"Why didn't you send me? How long have I been out?"

"Over a month. Keyra was barely wounded, but you've been in a coma until a new load of senzu beans was grown."

"Kuso!" He sits up and grabs Bulma's arm. "Have you heard from her since?"

"Nothing. Maybe she's working on something to beat the androids in this dimension as well."

"She'll meet Vegeta…" Trunks stares at the wall blankly.

"And Goku." Bulma squeezes his hand. "I wish we could've gone with her, but circumstances wouldn't allow it. I had to stay here and take care of you. We have to trust Keyra, she'll do what I've asked from her."

"You're not telling me everything, are you?" Trunks looks at her suspiciously.

"Later, son, later. Rest first."

She leaves the room and Trunks flops back on his bed.

_Over a month! What are those two up to? She would be back by now if she only went to give Goku the antidote. _His tail twitches in agitation. _She'll meet the whole gang… My father, Goku, Piccolo… even young Gohan._ He bows his head and massages his temples, trying to grasp his loss. _I could have traveled to the past… We could have gone together… I still owe her an apology… What if she doesn't return?_

Trunks stays on the bed for hours, trying to imagine where Keyra is right now.


	3. Past?

**Chapter 3 – Past?**

The building of Capsule Corp. still is in the same place it used to be in their time. _A good sign, _Keyra judges. _I don't see any destruction around here either_.

She lands on the lawn of the main building, walking up to the front doors. They open unexpectedly and a blur of kids storms out, knocking her over.

"What the…"

"Out of our way!"

"Run, Goten, or he'll catch us!"

Then she senses their kis. Or more so, their _potential_ kis. It was impossible… And one of the kids was Trunks?

"Kuso, too late…"

The atmosphere seems to darken slightly as a muscular figure steps out the front door, fists clenched at his sides. His flame-like hair stands out and Keyra immediately knows who he is.

"Vegeta…" she whispers.

"Brats…" he growls, glaring daggers at his son and his buddy. "Inside. Now." Vegeta's tone doesn't leave any room for excuses or pleads.

"Thanks a lot, lady," Trunks complains while walking in. His father whacks him over his head for that remark.

"Oww…"

"Go to your mom and tell her what you've done. She'll punish you both."

Vegeta waits impatiently until the kids are inside, visibly irritated.

"I guess they owe you an apology." His tone is emotionless. "What's your business at Capsule Corp?"

"I… I'm here to see Bulma," Keyra stumbles, still confused because she realizes she's not in the past.

"Hn." Vegeta closes his eyes, locating his mate's ki. "Follow me."

Keyra follows the Saiyan Prince in silence, marveling at his hair.

"Stop staring at me, woman," Vegeta says without even turning his head.

"I'm sorry. I just wondered about your hair… It's weird for me as a human to see it stand up straight."

Vegeta stops dead in his tracks. "What do you mean?"

Keyra casts down her eyes at his intense gaze. "I might as well tell you… You'll find out eventually. I'm from another dimension. In my dimension, you are dead, and I live at Capsule Corp. with Bulma and Trunks. Since I've never seen you alive, I was kind of surprised your hair really is the same as it is in Trunks' pictures."

Vegeta furrows his brow even deeper and asks: "Why are you here?"

"It's a long story. I'd rather tell you and Bulma together so I don't have to repeat myself."

"Makes sense. Let's go."

"My name is Keyra," she begins her story. "Where I come from, people live in fear every day. All of the Z fighters are dead, killed by the androids. Goku died earlier from a heart virus. Bulma – my Bulma – invented a time machine, so I could travel back to the past, warn you about the arrival of the androids and give the antidote to Goku. So here I am… But this can't be the past. Trunks was only a baby when Vegeta died… And here he's like what? Seven years old?"

"Eight, actually," Bulma says. "But we've never heard of these androids."

"Kakarot has never been ill," Vegeta growls.

Bulma ignores her husband and thinks out loud: "Something must have gone wrong with the time-traveling… I'd like to take a look at it, maybe I can fix it."

"That would be great! For all I know, I'm stuck here if I can't trust that machine. Speaking of machines, Bulma had a plan I'd like to discuss with you… Bulma."

Bulma understands the hint and looks at Vegeta.

"Get out, honey."

"I'll go check on the brats," Vegeta says. "I'll be over at Kakarot's if you need me."

"Thanks." Then she turns to Keyra again. "What plan?"

Keyra takes out the blueprints of a machine. "She thought that you'd be able to build this."

Bulma studies the drawings for several moments. "A regeneration tank?"

"Something like that. Trunks is the only warrior left in my time, and he can't defeat the androids. As we speak, he's in a coma trying to recover from his last fight with them."

Bulma gasps.

"Bulma will give him senzu as soon as the new crop is ready, but it'll take a while. In the mean time, she wants me to become as strong as Trunks so I can fight the androids as well."

"But you're not Saiyan!"

"No, Bulma. Not yet. But with your machine and Saiyan DNA I can be."

Bulma sighs. "This is a lot to think about."

"I'm sorry to barge in like this, but this is our only hope." Tears well up in Keyra's eyes. "I don't want to lose Trunks as well," she whispers. "The androids already killed my family. Bulma and Trunks are all I have left. I must do something!"

"We'll help you, Keyra. I'll start first thing tomorrow."

"Thanks," Keyra snorts, crying out loud.

Bulma scoops over and comforts her.

"You must be hungry. Let's go have a bite to eat, and then I'll show you your room. It's going to be okay."

Keyra stands on the balcony, smoking a cigarette. A weird feeling of déjà vu creeps up on her. She tilts back her head and looks at the sky. This world seems so much safer than her homeworld… Then she senses two tremendous kis a few miles away. _Would that be Vegeta? It has to be. The other one must be Goku then… _She can't resist, jumps off the balcony and flies towards the ki signals.

She flies over deserted lands, while the rumbling of ki waves grows louder. _This is unbelievable_, she thinks. _Even Gohan didn't come close to this kind of violence._

She arrives at the scene while the sun sets in the west.

_Someone is approaching, Kakarot_. As always, Vegeta communicates telepathically with Goku during sparring sessions, it saves energy and avoids having to scream to be audible. Vegeta attacks again.

_Nothing to be afraid of.__ Just be careful you don't blast anything her way,_ Goku answers, blocking Vegeta's attack only barely.

_I hate being watched,_ Vegeta mutters, making a backflip kick, scratching Goku's face.

_It's a free world, Vegeta. Let her be._ Goku retorts by planting his fist into Vegeta's gut.

_She's distracting me, that's all._ Vegeta charges a blast and fires at Goku. He dodges it, but it comes around and hits him in the back. Goku plummets towards the ground, hitting it hard.

_You should know that move by now, Kakarot._ Vegeta chuckles and dives down towards the ground as well.

Keyra watches in awe as the two pureblooded Saiyans take each other on. Sure, she's witnessed some serious fights, but this… This is on a whole other level. Both fighters take hits that would crush any ordinary human being, that would obliterate them completely. _They're not even Super Saiyan yet_, she suddenly realizes.

_Enough with the warm-up, Kakarot.__ Let's begin._ Vegeta falls back into his regular battle stance and powers up.

_You got it._ Goku screams when he focuses his power to achieve his transformation.

The battle goes on for another hour, after that both fighters are beaten up and low on ki.

_Let's call it a day, Vegeta._ Goku floats down towards the ground, breathing heavily and dropping out of Super Saiyan mode.

_Hungry again, huh?_ Vegeta chuckles, tired but satisfied.

"Do you need a ride home?" Goku asks, referring to his Instant Transmission ability.

"I'll fly home, Kakarot." Goku nods in acknowledgement and fazes out. Vegeta stares up to the stars briefly, then turns around and looks up to the place where Keyra is hiding.

_You can come out now, woman, the show is over._


End file.
